Kept from the Evil One, sanctified in God’s Word of truth.
Jesus prayed for us in John 17 that we would be kept from the evil one being sanctified by God’s truth, which is His word. He went on to say that for our sakes, He sanctified Himself by the truth. The word of God read aloud back to God, listened to with our hearts from God, and abided in daily, is our overcoming bread from heaven. The word is alive and shapes our emotions, imaginations, thoughts, and decisions. It separates our soul from our spirit, our joints from our marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
Reading when we don’t feel like it, or feel it isn’t going to help, or anytime we are in a funk, is the best time to read. This is when we come into sanctification and out of the influence of the world, the flesh, and the devil. I am finding that reading scripture to the Father sets my prayer time far beyond what I could pray without His word. We are all being sanctified by truth; His word is truth.
WATCH – That I May Know Him Week 7
GOSPELS
Mark 15 – 16
In these last two chapters Jesus faces Pilate, is crucified, buried, and resurrected. He rebukes the disciples for not believing the report of those who had seen Him after He had risen. The disciples receive the Great Commission and then witness Jesus’ ascension.
Luke 1 – 5
Luke’s gospel reveals many wonderful details of the Christmas story and then speaks of Jesus growing up in favor with God and men. Chapter 3 covers John the Baptist’s ministry, Jesus’ baptism, and His genealogy. Luke’s gospel gives special attention to Jesus’ prayer life. Of His baptism Luke records, “…and while He prayed the heaven was opened” (Luke 3:21).
Chapter 4 recounts Jesus’ temptation as He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness and returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee. It then recounts Jesus’ address to His synagogue in Nazareth and records His first ministry trip to Capernaum. In Chapter 5 Peter experiences the net-breaking, boat-sinking catch of fish and is led to repentance. The paralytic is forgiven and healed. Matthew the tax collector is called and has a party for his friends to meet Jesus. The Pharisees complain.
EPISTLES
2 Corinthians 11 – 13
Paul defends his apostleship. He shares his sufferings, his vision of Paradise, and his learning to boast in his infirmities that the power of Christ might rest upon him. He lets the Corinthians know he is coming and will not spare those who have sinned and not repented. “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for it” (2 Corinthians 13:8).
Galatians 1 – 4
The letter of grace. Paul shares His conversion and calling. He speaks in Chapter 2 to those seeking to bring the Gentile believers into bondage to the law. He even recounts his rebuke of Peter for hypocrisy. In Chapter 3 we are called to recognize how the Spirit was given and the curse of the law. The inheritance was given to Abraham by promise and not the law. Chapter 4 teaches how we are moving out of childhood slavery into becoming sons and heirs, and he addresses the zeal of those seeking to rebuild the law. Paul then compares the two covenants to the two sons of Abraham: one born of a bondwoman and the other of a freewoman.
TORAH
Genesis 45 – 50
Joseph is revealed to his brothers. Jacob and all his family are relocated to Egypt, where he meets and blesses Pharaoh and settles in the land of Goshen. Joseph transfers all the wealth into Pharoah’s treasury through the seven years of famine. Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons and then calls all his sons to tell them what is coming in the last days. Jacob dies and is brought back to Canaan for burial, Joseph’s brothers are afraid of retaliation and feign a letter from their father, and Joseph weeps at the hearing of it.
Exodus 1 – 2
Another king rises in Egypt who does not remember Joseph’s contribution and treats the Hebrews shrewdly, placing a taskmaster over them. But the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew. The law of infanticide orders that all Hebrew male babies be cast into the Nile. Moses is born and drawn out of the Nile by Pharaoh’s daughter and becomes her son. Moses at age 40 returns to his people in the power of Egypt and kills an Egyptian. Moses then flees to Midian where the Lord extracts the power of Egypt from him over the next 40 years. The Hebrews’ bondage in Egypt increases and they cry out to God. God hears their groaning and remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And God looks upon the children of Israel and acknowledges them.
POETRY
Job 41 – 42
Chapter 41 brings Job face to face with his pride and the king of pride, Levithan. In Chapter 42 Job is brought into repentance, the knowledge of truth, his senses, and escapes the hand of the devil who had taken Job captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:24-26). The Lord’s work is done, and Job is free. Now the Lord speaks to Eliphaz and his two friends and their folly. Job prays for them, and the Lord hears Job’s prayer. Job’s captivity is turned and the Lord blesses Job with double.
Psalm 1 – 4
Four of my most loved Psalms. Psalm 1, the blessing of meditating on God’s word. Psalm 2, the futility of overthrowing the Messiah’s reign and good advice. Psalm 3, David’s Psalm when he fled from Absalom his son. Psalm 4, David’s confidence in the Lord.
PROPHETS
Isaiah 41 – 46
Isaiah is in full prophetic force promising help to Israel, the coming Messiah, and redemption. “Behold I do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?” (Isaiah 43:19). He declares God’s promise of the Spirit to those who thirst, the futility of idols, and the greatness of the Lord. Cyrus is prophesied and named some 150 years before he came to the throne.
